Mikedesc's training Log

[mikedesc]

Saturday's workout:

Warm up:10min RowL6-2431m, 2x10sec squat stretch, 2x10 leg swings, 2x10sec ham stretch, 2x10 shoulder dislocations, Spider walkx5,

NO Squat,

OHP - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 7x5x40.8kg,

Deadlifts - 5x80kg, 5x89kg, 5x100.2kg, 5x109.2kg(BW), 3x111.2kg,

Floor press -2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg,7x5x40.8kg,

Abs -2x10 rev crunches, 2x30sec plank

It's been a really long tough week and |'ve not managed to get to the gym as and when I would have liked. So tonight when I finished work at 10:30 I decided I would go to the gym despite being knackered.
The result was a really good gym session. I started out a bit grudgingly, but the row started to feel good and throughout the warmups I started to feel better. The workout was a breeze although the deads got a bit tough at 111.2kg and I didn't finish a set of 5. I just managed the 3, which is Ok I'll aim for the 5 next time. I've decided to set a mini goal for this trip - get to 120kg deads before going home. I hadn't planned to do the floor presses after the deads, but I felt great so I decided to add them. Just goes to prove what Mehdi says about going to the gym and not making excuses just because you feel tired or a bit unwell. They can be some of the best workouts.

[mikedesc]

Today's Workout:

Warm Up:10min Row L6 - 2402m, 2x10 Leg swings, 2x10s Squat stretch, 2x10s ham stretch, 2X10 shoulder dislocations, 5x spider walk stretch,

Squat - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 7x5x40.8kg,
Had to stop a couple of times between sets to wait for the ship to stop rolling around before continuing.

Floor press - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 2x5x40.8kg, 1x5x42.2kg, 5x5x49kg,
I had intended to do the work sets with 42.2kg, but I was using the lead weights that I usually use for deadlifts and they're suspended on some rope. With the smaller diameter 1.1kg weights they were swinging all over the place making it very difficult to lift properly(and visually disturbing when lying under them). I used two 4.5kg weights then to jump to 49kg because the 4.5kg weights diameter allows me to jam them between the lead weights and the bar and everything is more stable. So I was quite pleased to do the 5x5 with 49kg.

BBR - 2x5x40kg, 2x5x44.6kg, 2x5x49kg, 5x5x53.6kg
These felt much better than last time. Using the lead weights again raises the bar slightly so the bar is at mid shin for me. It's a far more comfortable level to be picking the bar up at. I think I've been going from too low a bar position previously.

Can anyone tell me what the height of a bar is from the ground with an olympic weight plate on it? Or the diameter of an olympic weight plate?

[mikedesc]

Today's workout

Warm up:10min Row L6 - 2464m, 2x10 Leg swings, 2x10s Squat stretch, 2x10s ham stretch, 2X10 shoulder dislocations, 5xspider walk stretch,

Squat - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 8x5x40.8kg,

OHpress - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 8x5x40.8kg,

DLs -3x5x80kg, 3x89kg, 3x100.2kg,3x109.2kg 5x111.6kg,
Great feeling completing 5 at 111.6kg. Cut back on warm up sets and had more left for work sets. Only switched to mixed grip on last two.

Pull ups - 3x3 attempts - getting further but not quite there yet. Soon.

With 4 more weeks at sea I've got another 12 workouts left before going home. If I continue increasing number of work sets on squats and OHPs I'll end up with 14x5. I think I'll limit the work sets for them and add cleans as well as I'm already doing them to get the bar up for the squats and presses anyway.

[mikedesc]

Today's Workout:

Warm up:10min Row L6 - 2349m, 2x10 Leg swings, 2x10s Squat stretch, 2x10s ham stretch, 2X10 shoulder dislocations, 5xspider walk stretch

Front Squat - 2x5x18kg, 2x5x22.6kg,

Back Squat - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,

Floor press - 2x5x36.2kg, 2x5x40.8kg,2x5x49kg,5x5x51.2kg,

BBR - 2x5x40kg, 2x5x49kg, 5x5x55.8kg,

Pullups - 2 attempts & gave up.

I thought I'd add some variety into the squats rather than just ramping up the number of sets all the time, so I tried a few Front squats for the first time. They felt OK and I went lower than on the back squats, however, I got an ache in my lower back on the right hand side doing them. No problems when I went to the Back squats though. The Floor press was tough but I got them all and my shoulders can really feel it now.

Although I achieved all my targets for today the workout felt crap. I didn't have any energy - even my warm up row was pathetic. I just couldn't be arsed to put any effort into it. Physically I managed the workout OK but I've been up all night working and am trying to get back into dayshift for tomorrow so I think it's just tiredness, mental and physical. I just gave up on the pull ups as I just couldn't do any more.

I'm going to quickly browse through the logs and then off to bed early for a change.

[mikedesc]

Today's Workout:

Warm Up: 5min Row L6 - 1265m, 2x10 Leg swings, 2x10s Squat stretch,2x10 pec stretch, 2x10s ham stretch, 2X10 shoulder dislocations, 5x spider walk stretch

Front Squat 2x5x18kg, 5x5x27kg,

Back Squat - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,

OHpress - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 8x5x40.8kg,

Deadlifts -3x5x80kg, 3x89kg, 3x100.2kg,3x109.2kg 5x113.8kg,

Pull ups - 3x3 attempts

Enjoyed doing the front squats as well as the back squats. No pains aches or problems this time so all good. OHP still the same without any problems.
Deads are getting quite challenging and I'm really enjoying them. Every workout is a new PR for me, but I'm aiming for 120kg, if I get that then I'll post it as a PR.
It's really amazing how two workouts can feel so different. I feel really great after this one, but the last one just didn't do anything for me despite meeting my goals for that session.
Anyway, onwards and upwards.

[mikedesc]

Today's workout:

Warmup:5min Row L6 -1255m, 2x10 Leg swings, 2x10s Squat stretch, 2x10s ham stretch, 2X10 shoulder dislocations, 5xspider walk stretch, 2x10 Pec stretch

Front Squat - 2x5x22.6kg, 5x5x29.2kg,
Feeling good, no probs.

Back Squat - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,
Just wish I had more weight and a rack onboard, I'm concerned that I wont get back to my previous squat weights when I'm home.

Floor press - 2x5x40.8kg,2x5x49kg,5x5x53.6kg,
Last few reps per set VERY tough, but had enough in the tank to push them out.

BBR - 2x5x40kg, 2x5x49kg, 5x5x58kg,
Still feeling quite easy at the moment

Pullups - 3x3 attempts - One day.

[mikedesc]

Friday's Workout:

Warm up:5min Row L6 - 1265m, 2x10 Leg swings, 2x10s Squat stretch,2x10 pec stretch, 2x10s ham stretch, 2X10 shoulder dislocations, 5xspider walk stretch,

Front Squat 2x5x27kg, 5x5x31.6kg,

Back Squat - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,

OHpress - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,

DLs -3x89kg, 3x100.2kg,3x109.2kg 5x116.2kg,

Pull ups - 3x3 attempts

Squats feeling good and deads I am really enjoying. Getting very tough though. I'm well on target to get to 120kg on deads before I get off. OHPress was a bit of a struggle though. I don't know if it's because I'm cleaning the bar every time for the squats before hand but by the end of the 5th set they were really hard and I've been doing 8x5 previously. I'd planned to cut back anyway due to a lack of time but even so I think it was a good job I did.

[Tresbien]

I think it's good your still persisting with the squats though you don't have access to a rack. It reminds me of when I first started, because I was only able to squat what I could jerk over my head. I also think it's great that you realized you weren't too old to begin strength training, as I wish my brother, who is about 70 lbs. overweight, would understand that and start hitting the weights. That you are on a ship and have to deal with the rocking back and forth and you still decide to work out is worthy of praise. Hopefully you can get a squat rack when you return home or get your company to buy one.

[mjh]

Hopefully you can get a squat rack when you return home or get your company to buy one.

Maybe we can all chip in and get Mike a custom power-rack built into a gyroscope, to counter the ship's movement. That would be cool.

[mikedesc]

Hi guys,

@Tresbien I have a squat rack at home, but nothing here on the boat other than an old standard bar and vinyl plates, but it does the job to keep me going. It's just frustrating that everytime I come to work I'm deloading on squats be default. Not really any room in the gym for a rack though. When I get home, I'll post some pics of the gym and you'll see what I mean. I can''t from the ship as the IT police won't let us access anything like myface, bebo etc.. to upload the pics to.
Anyway about my age - I'm as young as I feel. (some would say the woman you feel). Some mornings it feels a lot more than it should be though!

@mjh - I like the idea......but I think if I stayed still and everything else moved it'd be puking time!

[mikedesc]

Today's workout:

Warm up:10min Row L6 -2388m, 2x10 Leg swings, 2x10s Squat stretch, 2x10s ham stretch, 2X10 shoulder dislocations, 5xspider walk stretch,

Box Squat - 2x5x27kg, 5x5x31.6kg,
Found a transit case that is just under 10" high and thought it would be good to do box squats onto. And so it was, allowing me to go just below parallel before touching the box. It made me go a bit wider with the stance and I could feel the insides of my thoghs pulling a bit more than usual. It definitely helped with sitting back when squatting. I enjoyed them and I'll do some more another time I think. Maybe alternate between Front and Box squats.

Squat - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,
Felt OK apart from getting interrupted before my 4th set. By the time I'd got back to the gym it took a while to get back into the right frame of mind for lifting.

Floor press - 2x5x40.8kg,2x5x49kg, 5/5/4/5/3x55.8kg,
really,really tough. It didn't help that the ship had started to roll a wee bit whilst doing these and the bar was moving from over chest to overhead! I had hoped that the transit case could be used for a bench, but I couldn't get anything to rack the weights onto that would be safe so I ended up doing floor presses again.

BBRow - 2x5x40kg, 2x5x49kg, 5x5x60.2kg,
Loving it.
Feeling good, working hard and making sure I pull right up to my chest each rep. I can feel it's getting tougher and I'm having to put a good amount of effort into it.

Pullups - 3x3 attempts - Jumped up off of a box and worked at making controlled descents, Not that I got too close to getting my chin above the bar when I did jump. The box only just allowed me to reach the 2" pipe we use to do pull ups on. One of the guys has added some bulldog(friction) tape around the pipe to stop it being so slippery. But when he came to test it, he couldn't remove his hands from the pipe without supporting his weight as the tape was so sticky.
With my weight there was no problem getting my hands unstuck.

[mikedesc]

The North Sea is just too rough today to throw weights around.
So instead I did a complete set of all the soft tissue work and mobility exercises as per Eric Cressey's Maximum Strength.
Everything felt good apart from my calves. Boy were they sore! Obviously I need to do that more often.
I also found that some of the mobility exercises showed how limited some of my movement is, hips and shoulders in particular. Squat to stand and Scap arm raises showed that.
I do a nice little soft tissue / mobility set most days, but I think I need to spend a bit more time doing them and be a bit more specific about what I'm aiming to achieve. Ie targetting areas that need work not just a short programme of moves as a quick routine.
I'm still to be convinced that just doing soft tissue and mobility is enough as a warm up to squats etc though.
The sea is due to be better tomorrow, so I might experiment and give it a go. Trouble is I like the rowing and will miss it. I guess if I've got any energy left I can do some at the end of the session.

[mikedesc]

Today's workout:

Warm up:Maximum Strength foam roller and mobility warm up, consisting of:
Foam rolling IT band, Quads, Hip Flexors, Hip Abductors, Thoracic extension, Pecs, Lats, Calves, Glutes & Infraspinatus. Followed by Kneeling RF/TFL stretch, Sleeper stretch, Supine Bridges,Reach roll & lift, Wall ankle stretch, Pull back kick butt, Cradle walk, Split stance broomstick pec stretch, squat to stand(ouch) and overhead lunges.

That Cressey fella must be some kind of sadistic b*st*rd making people go though that regularly. Some of them were quite(to very) painful. Didn't feel like I would be after my regular warm up, but I'll stick with it for a few more goes yet.

Front Squat 2x5x31.6kg, 5x5x33.8kg,

Box Squat - 2x5x33.8.6kg,5x5x36.2kg,

I'm enjoying mixing up the squats a bit and I can feel different parts of my legs have been worked once I'm finished .

OHpress - 2x5x31.6kg, 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,
Flew through these today, no slowing or struggling. Is it because I had expended less energy in the warm up??
Note to self: move head out of the way faster when lifting bar above head!

DLs -3x89kg, 3x100.2kg,3x109.2kg 3x3x116.2kg(3/3/-/3)
Deads felt good, but my grip let me down on the 3rd work set and I dropped the bar half way up the first rep. I towelled down, wiped the bar and went again and nailed them. I confess that I'd almost psyched myself out of doing them though. Funny how the mind works - I had to tell myself off for having doubt and to get on with it.

I thought the workout went well and I had all the energy I needed to do the lifts including the cleans for the squats and OHPs. But I noticed from my HRM that my HR was way down on previous workouts and in total I burned about a 3rd of the calories that I would have done by starting with a 10 min row.

[mikedesc]

Today's workout:

Decided to go for a steady row today as I didn't get too knackered yesterday.

10km RowL6- 46:14.2,

suffered as I haven't done this for a while had 3 stops for water and wipe sweat from eyes. I was a bit disappointed with my time, but not too surprised. I was hoping to get in at around 45 minutes. I'll give it another go next week and hopefuly I'll be a bit better.

No Aches from yesterday.

[mikedesc]

Today's Workout:

Warm up: Maximum Strength foam roller and mobility warm up as before, except changed cradle walk to 90/90 stretch as it was too difficult trying to stand on one leg with the ship moving around.

Box Squat - 2x5x33.8kg, 5x5x40.8kg,

Back Squat - 2x5x36.2kg, 5x5x40.8kg,
Still enjoying the variety of squats and feeling as if I'm doing more(as in making progress) than when I just did back squats.

Floor press - 2x5x49kg, 2x5x53.6kg,5x5x55.8kg,
I didn't make a full set of 5x5 on 55.8kg last time so I'm pleased with the results here. Felt much more comfortable than before.

BBRow - 2x5x49kg, 2x5x58kg,5x5x62.6kg
These rock! Iron Maiden blasting away a good tempo, I just flew through these and they felt Good! Long may it continue.

Pullups - 3x3 negatives off box, with attempted controlled descents. Still no real improvement or sign that I'll complete a whole pull up any time soon. I'll just keep plugging away.
Generally another comfortable and goos workout. Still sticking with the foam roller and mobility stretching for a warm up at the moment, but once I'm fully au fait with the exercises I'll start off with a little row as well. Didn't take as long to go through them all today, so once I get more familiar it should take less time unless I hit a sore spot.